Improvement in horse-rakes



Massachusetts, have invented certain new and tion through the same.

head A, which acts upon the end 4 of the f UNITED STATES MOORE SMITH, OE WORCESTER, MAssAoHUsETTs, ASSIGNOR To HIMSELE PATENT OFFICE.

AND T. `WV. WELLINGTON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE-RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.. 47,872, dated May 43, 1865.

fo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MOORE SMITH, of the city and county of Worcester, and State of useful Improvements in `Horse-Rakes; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l represents a top View of said rake. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical seo- Fig. 3 represents a rear view of my rake. i.

`A represents the axle of the rake, which serves as the rake-head, to whichV the raketeeth O are secured. It is supported on the wheels B, the latter turning loosely on the spindles of the axle. The frame O is hung upon the axle, and the drivers platform D is secured to the frame O.

`E represents a clutch-lever, which is pivoted to the frame C at a.. Its forked ends b extend into the groove c of the doublefaced clutch G, which moves with and can slide longitudinally on the axle A, and which is provided at each face with a c1 utch-tooth, the clutch-tooth 2 on the outer face to be acted upon at proper intervals by one of the teeth d on" the inner face of the wheel-hub M, and the tooth 3 on the inner face of the clutch to bear against the projection g of the frame O, to keep the rake-head in its position while the rake is in operation, the clutch being retained in its last-named position by the action of the' spring I-I upon the clutchLlever, which tends to pull the latter fforward against the stopplate N. f

I represents a cam on the axle-or rakeclutch-lever E to operate the latter at a cerA tain moment. i

The operation of the rake is as follows: As the rake is drawn over the field, the raketeeth O are held in their positions by the actionvof the clutch-tooth 3 upon the projection g onthe main frame. Vhen a suiicient quantity of hay has accumulated upon the l rake-teeth, the driver forces the end 4 of the lever E to the rear, and thus shifts the clutch G toward the wheel B, disconnecting it from the projection g on the frame C, and conw nectin g it with the clutch-teeth d of the wheelhub M, and as the machine is moved forward the rake-head or axle A is turned by the rotary motion of the wheel B and with the full power of the team, and the hay is dropped; but this rising motion of the rake-teeth continues only a sufiicient time to release the hay, and immediately after the cam I on the rake-head A comes in contactwith the end 4 of the lever E and forces thel latter forward,

thus disengaging the clutch G from the hub ofthe wheel B and again locking the rakehead, and the operation of raking continues.

Thus it will beseen that this Take is to a great extentselfaetingthat the driver has no laborious work to perform in lifting levers or turning or raising the rake-head when the teeth are loaded with hay, but that such heavy part of the work is performed by the power of the team, and that after' the hay is unloaded the rake automatically resumes its operation.

The drivers seat is to be attached to the frame O in any suitable Inanner and in a convenient position for him to operate the lever E, which can be done by any well-known device. f

In the fuusized mantenne weight of the teeth will obviate the use of the spring x, and cam I may be so constructed as to throw the clutch into action with the projection g, 

